Depth-indicating device



H. W. KING DEPTH INDICATING DEVICE Filed April 16. 1923 stares PATENT OEFFIE HOB-ACE W. KING, 01E ANN ARBOR, MIGHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO KING--SEELEY CORPORA- TION, F ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN DEPTH-INDICATING DEVICE Application filed. April 16, 1923. Serial No. 632,344.

The invention relates to liquid depth in dicating devices and is particularly applicable to motor vehicles for measuring the liquid fuel in the supply tanks. One of the objects of the invention is theprovision of a simple device which can be readily applied to a supply tank provided with a drain. Another object is to provide device located outside of the supply tank and provided with a chamber having provision for introducing air thereinto upon the operation of the mechanism for withdrawing the liquid fuel from the supply tank. Further objects of the invention reside in the novel features of 00118311611011 and combinations and arrangements of partsas more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing:

The figure is a side elevation partly in sec- 20 tion of'a depth indicating device embodying my invention.

1 is the liquid fuel supply tank of a motor vehicle having in its bottom the drain outlet opening 2 and in its top the liquid fuel inlet opening 3 closed by the filler cap 4 provided with the air inlet opening 5. 6 is the vacuum tank of the motor vehicle for withdrawing the liquid fuel such as gasoline from the supply tank 1.

'2' is the plug of my device having the heiragonal head 8 and the nipple 9, the nipple extending vertically and being threaded into the wall of the drain outlet opening 2 in the supply tank. 10 is a horizontally extending tube secured to the plug 7 and communicating with the bore 11 in the head, this bore 11. in turn communicating with the vertically extending bore 12 in the nipple. The tube 10 forms a part of the tubular connection between the supply tank 1 and vacuum tank 6, the remaining portion of this tubular connection being formed by the tube 13 connected to the vacuum tank and firstmentioned tube. 1 1 is a closed auxiliary tank or chamber mounted upon the tube 10 which passes transversely through this chamber near its bottom and is provided with the opening 15 for placing the chamber in communication with the tube. 16 is an air supply tube extending through the closed upper end of the chamber 14 and having open upper and lower ends, the upper end extending preferably above the top of the supply tank 1 and the lower end terminating preferably in a horizontal plane adjacent to the bottom of the supply tank 1. 17 is an air pressure tube adjacent the air supply tube 16 and having an open lower end terminating within the chamber 1st near its closed upper end, the other end of this air pressure tube the chamber 14.- through the opening 15 in the tube 10, the size of this opening controlling the rate of flow of the gasoline from the chamber. As soon as the gasoline in the chamber 14. unseals the lower open end of the air supply tube 16, air at atmospheric pressure is free to enter the chamber so that at this time the pressure gage indicates atmospheric pressure. However, as soon as the vacuum tank ceases to operate, gasoline will enter the chamber 14 through the tube 10 and plug 7 from the supply tank 1, forcing air out of the chamber through the air supply tube 16 until the gasoline seals the lower open end of the air supply tube. Then any further upward movement of the gas oline in the chamber 14; compresses the trapped air in this chamber, raising the pressure thereof which is transferred to the pressure gage. Since the pressure of air in the chamber 1 1 is dependent upon the depth of the gasoline in the supply tank 1, to a point level with the lower open end of the air supply tube 16, the pressure gage can be graduated to indicate either the depth or quantity of gasoline in' the supply tank or both, above the above-mentioned level.

From the abovedescription it will be seen that I have provided a simple structure for measuring the liquid in a tank which can be attached to a tank having a drain outlet opening; that a part of the structure constitutes part of the tubular connection between the supply and vacuum tanks; and that this part of the tubular connection carries and is connected to the closed chamber which traps air therewithin.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with a tank containing liquid and means for withdrawing liquid from said tank at intervals, of a tubular connection between said tank andliquid withdrawing means, a chamber outside of said tank mounted upon said tubular connection, there being means whereby said chamber communicates with said tubular connection, an air supply tube opening into said chamber below its upper end and communicating with the atmosphere above the level of liquid in said supply tank, a pressuregage and connections therefrom communicating with said chamber above the point of communication of said air supply tube with said chamber.

2. The combination with a tank containing liquid and means for withdrawing liquid from said tank at intervals, of a tubular connection between said tank and liquid withdrawing means, a chamber outside of said tank mounted upon said tubular connection, there being means whereby said chamber communicates with said tubular connection, a vertically extending air supply tube having open upper and lower ends respectively terminating above the level of liquid in said supply tank and within said chamber below its upper end, an air pressure tube extending adjacent to said air supply tube and communicating with said chamber above the point of communication of said air supply tube therewith, and a pressure gage communicating with said air pressure tube.

3. The combination with a tank containing liquid and having in its bottom a drain outlet opening and in its top an air inlet opening and means for withdrawing liquid from said tank at intervals, of a plug secured in said drain outlet opening and having a liquid passage, a tubular connection between said liquid passage and liquid withdrawing means, a chamber outside of said tank mounted upon said tubular connection, there being means whereby said chamber communicates with said tubular connection, and means communicating with the lower portion of said cham her for conducting air into said chamber upon the operation of said liquid withdrawing means and means communicating with the upper portion of said chamber for indi cating the pressure of air in said chamber.

4. The combination with a tank containing liquid and a vacuum tank, of a tubular connection between said tanks, a chamber outside of said tank and mounted upon a part of said tubular connection, there being means whereby said chamber communicates with said tubular connection, a vertically extending air supply tube communicating with the atmosphere respectively above the level of liquid in said supply tank and with the interior of said chamber below its upper end and adjacent to the horizontal plane passing through the bottom of said. supply tank, a pressure gage and connections therefrom communicating with said chamber at a point above the communication of said air supply tube with said chamber.

5. The combination with a supply tank containing liquid and a vacuum tank, said supply tank having a drain outlet opening in its bottom and an air inlet opening in its top, a plug secured in said drain outlet opening and having a liquid passage, a horizontally extending tube secured to said plug and comn'iunicating with said liquid passage, a chamber outside or said tank and through which said tube passes, said tube having an opening therein within said chamber, means for placing said tube in communication with said vacuui'n tank, a vertically extending air supply tube having open upper and lower ends respectively above the level of liquid in said supply tank and within said chamber below its upper end, a pressure gage and connections therefrom communicating with said Chitl'lll er at a point above the point of communication of said air supply tube therewith.

6. The combination with a tank containing liquid and means for withdrawing liquid from said tank at intervals, of a tubular connection between said tank and liquid withdrawing means, a chamber outside of said tank and through which said tubular connection passes, said tubular connection having an opening therein within said chamber, an air supply tube extending air tight through said chamber and having an opening above the level of liquid in said tank and an opening within said chamber below its upper end, a pressure gage, and means -for placing said pressure gage in communication with said chamber at a point above the point of communication of said air supply tube with said chamber.

7 The combination with a tank containing liquid and means for withdrawing liquid from said tank at intervals, of a tubular connection between said tank and liquid withdrawing means, a chamber outside of said tank and through which said tubular con nection passes, said tubular connection having an opening therein within said chamber, and means alternatively operable and communicating with said chamber to conduct air into said chamber and to indicate the pressure of air in said chamber.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HORACE W. KING. 

